Messi fails again with Argentina, announces retirement

Copa America Centenario is over and Argentina lost again to Chile in the Final. After the World Cup Final in 2014, Copa America 2015, Argentina and Messi lost Copa America 2016.

The Final was terrible, boring and very aggressive. After only 45 minutes of play, the most visible man on the pitch was the referee who handed 2 red cards. The second half was as sedative as the first one and we continued on during the extra time. The 82,000+ fans in the stadium in New Jersey even booed the players for such a poor performance provided on both sides of the pitch. So it has to be decided by the penalties. Messi was the first to engage for Argentina but shot the ball over the crossbar. Chile beats Argentina again on the penalties like last year and are smiling, celebrating back-to-back titles.

For Argentina and Messi, Diego Maradona who won the 1986 World Cups with Argentina satirically said that Argentine players should not come back if they do not win the Copa America…! Nonetheless, Messi seemed devastated by the defeat. He does not seem to be able to shine in the Final. Why? Right off the match Messi announced his retirement from Argentina National team.

A true deception for a true champion right? But champions are the ones to persevere and not the ones to quit. Messi must understand he cannot retire from Argentina at the age of 29. If he does, he will always be remembered as a club legend who won everything surrounded by world class players with Barcelona but a loser for millions of Argentine fans who support and believe in him but unable to win anything for this country. That is his decision, we must respect it and this how Messi reacted:

“That’s it. The national team is over for me. It’s been four finals. It’s not for me. Unfortunately I tried for it and it’s what I wanted the most. It didn’t happen but I think that’s it. It’s what I feel now and what I think. It’s a great sadness that it happened again. It’s difficult. It is a tough moment for any analysis. In the locker I thought about it and the national team is not for me.”